Doctors tends to alow allow their names and signatures to be used by labs, ultrasound centers and imaging centers for a fee. They pre-sign lab reports, fitness certificates, sickness certificates without actually having seen the patient or the specimen to be tested, leaving the data to be filled in by another person.

This “selling” of signatures is not only a professional misconduct liable to disciplinary proceedings before the medical council, but is also breaking the law punishable under the Indian Penal Code under Section 191 “Giving false evidence”, Section 192 “Fabricating false evidence”. And if this document is presented in the Court during any stage of judicial proceeding, the punishment is imprisonment for up to seven years along with fine, as per Section 193 “Punishment for false evidence”.

The Supreme Court in the case of Martin F D' Souza vs Mohd Ishfaq in 2009 also had said, “No prescription should ordinarily be given without actual examination.” In the same judgement, the Apex Court also advised against telephonic consultations stating “The tendency to give prescription over the telephone, except in an acute emergency, should be avoided.”

Actions have been taken by the State Medical Councils, Maharashtra Medical Council and the Delhi Medical Council, in such instances.

For doctors, the interests of the patient are above all. Ethical earning is a part of ethical medicine. The MCI Code of Ethics Regulations has clearly banned fee splitting including any other rebates and commissions (Regulation 6.4.1). “A physician shall not directly or indirectly, participate in or be a party to act of division, transference, assignment, subordination, rebating, splitting or refunding of any fee for medical, surgical or other treatment. “These are unethical practices. And the money earned by way of these practices, is unethical earning.

242 societies led by FOGSI join hands with IMA to raise awareness on World Population DayDeliberate on key issues regarding family planning including new-age and effective contraceptives andvoluntary access to safe family planning methods

New Delhi, 11th July, 2017: In a momentous occasion, 242 societies led by the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI) came together with 3 lakh doctors of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to raise awareness about the paradigm shift in contraception methods available today. In line with the World Population Day theme of 2017, the motto was to empower people with novel ways of family planning for the development of the nation.

According to 'Vision FP 2020', access to family planning can avert 2.39 crore births and 42,000 maternal deaths by 2020. About 21.3% of eligible couples in India have unmet need for family planning. Although the Indian national family planning programme began in the early 1950s and has seen success over the period, there are still challenges such as those of access, choice, gender, equity, and quality.